In 1964 Bustamante retired from politics, but he did not relinquish the title of party leader for several years until the party gave him the honorific title of "The Chief" following its defeat in the 1972 elections. In the interim, the party was led by Donald Sangster (until 1967) and Hugh Shearer (until 1974), having the title of "First Deputy Leader".

In 1974 Edward Seaga became the second leader of the party. The party lost the 1976 elections, but Seaga became Prime Minister after victory in 1980 when the party won 51 of the 60 seats. In an election boycotted by the opposition in 1983 the JLP won all sixty seats. They were defeated in the 1989 elections and went on to lose elections in 1993, 1997 and 2002.

In 2005 Bruce Golding succeeded Seaga as head of the party, and led it to victory in the 2007 elections. Golding resigned as head of the party in October 2011, and was succeeded by current leader Andrew Holness. The Jamaica Labour Party has since lost in the 2011 Jamaica General Elections.

The party held leadership elections on November 10, 2013, where incumbent party leader (and Leader of the Opposition), Andrew Holness, was challenged by party deputy leader and then Shadow Minister for Finance, Audley Shaw. Holness defeated Shaw.[7]